captioning funded by cbs that the politics are too hard? hard? captioning funded by cbs this is the "cbs morning news" for monday, december 17th, 2012. and good morning, everybody. good to be with you on this monday. i'm terrell brown. the funerals of the first victims will be held today. 20 children were kids and six adults in a shooting rampage that lasted ten minutes and authorities say it could have been worse. the gunman adam lanza carried hundreds of rounds of especially deadly ammunition. last night president obama met privately with families in newtown and then spoke at a memorial service. the president said, quote, we can't tolerate this anymore. we must change. he ended his remarks by reading the names of the 20 child victims.

>> charlotte, daniel, olivia, josephine, ana, dylan, madeleine, catherine, chase, jesse, james, grace, emilie, jack, noah, caroline, jessica, benjamin, avielle, allison. god has called them all home. >> erica ferrari is in newtown this morning. erica, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, terrell. behind closed doors, the

president reportedly told connecticut's governor that friday was the single most difficult day of his presidency. the tears flowed freely as the people of newtown, connecticut, remembered those gunned down at sandy hook elementary school. >> we gather here in memory of 20 beautiful children and six remarkable adults. >> reporter: president obama said he brought with him the love and prayers of the nation. >> i am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. >> reporter: the next painful step in the grieving process begins today when the first two funerals will be held here in newtown. >> they're innocent babies and that's what makes it almost incomprehensible. >> reporter: police believe the carnage could have been much worse. police say adam lanza had enough

bullets to kill just about every child in the school if given enough time. >> i could pass the magazine for multiple magazines for the rifle and handguns. >> reporter: adam lanza ducked into a room when the police were arriving. and newtown school officials have not decided if they'll ever reopen the sandy hook elementary school. terrell? >> erica ferrari. in newtown for us this morning. thank you so much. friday's shooting has touched off a national debate on gun control. before last night's vigil, senator joe lieberman said military assault-type weapons such as used at sandy hook should be banned. and during his remarks last night president obama signaling he is ready to take action. susan mcginnis is in washington with more. susan, good morning to you. >> hi. good morning, terrell. the president said the nation is

failing to keep its children safe, and he promised to use the power of his office to prevent future tragedies, saying we can't accept events like these as routine. >> these tragedies must end. and to end them, we must change. >> reporter: the president never mentioned any specific steps he is willing to take, but his speech in newtown, connecticut, signaling he may be willing to tackle the issue of gun control. >> no single law, no set of laws can eliminate evil from the world or prevent every senseless act of violence in our society, but that can't be an excuse for an action. >> reporter: some congressional democrats say friday's event made the time right to review the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004. >> when the public is left upset, when developments happen one after another, the public will not accept as a new normal one of these incidents every

month, these mass shootings. >> reporter: but passing gun control legislation will likely be difficult. supporters of new laws would have to contend with the national rifle association, a powerful lobby group that supports gun owner rights. on sunday he said if more americans owned guns, we'd be safer. >> hearing the heroic stories of the principal lunging, trying to protect kids, i wish to god she had one locked up in her office so when she heard gunfire she pulled it out and she didn't have to lunge forward with nothing in her hands but she takes him out. >> reporter: how the public feels about gun control pulls away from stricter laws. a gallup poll in 1990 found that nearly 80% of people polled wanted stricter laws. the poll taken during the election year in august by "the washington post" found folks,

registered voters, about evenly split. what we don't know, terrell, is whether newtown, connecticut, could represent any kind of tipping point in this debate. >> susan mcginnis in washington this morning. thanks so much. authorities say adam lanza left no letters, diaries, or suicide notes that could shed light on a motive. they do know he visited a local shooting range but they don't know if he practiced there. he brought a rifle and two handguns. a fourth gun was found in his car. the computers found in lanza's home were destroyed, but investigators are trying to retrieve information from them. they're also looking for a phone and credit card records. ten years ago the secret service published a report on school shooters. on last night's "60 minutes" scott pelley talked to the authors. they found most attackers followed a pattern for weeks or even months before they act. they called it the pathway to violence. >> how does this pathway to

violence manifest itself? what is it that people can look for in a person who is on this pathway as you describe it? >> people who engaged in these attacks took a series of actions as in often selecting a particular weapon, sometimes practicing with a weapon. they thought, i'm desperate. they accepted the idea that violence might be an acceptable way to solve their problems. >> in how many cases did the shooter tell someone essentially what he was planning on doing before he did it? >> in almost all of them, the student who committed the attack, the school shooter, communicated in many instances his intent to commit the attack. >> the offense of friday struck fear into the heart of every parent who sends a child to school all across this country. i wonder what you would tell the folks at home who worry, can i

send my kid to school on monday. >> it is important to remember that these are extremely, extremely rare events. >> any event as horrible as the attack of last friday scares everybody, but the reality in this country is that schools have been and are safer and have become much safer over the last several years. >> scott pelley on last night's "60 minutes." much more coming up on the "morning news." we'll be right back. we'll be right back. if you're living with moderate to severe crohn's disease, and it feels like your life revolves around your symptoms, ask your gastroenterologist about humira adalimumab. humira has been proven to work for adults who have tried other medications but still experience the symptoms of moderate to severe crohn's disease. in clinical studies, the majority of patients on humira

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[ female announcer ] hand-crafted diamond rings, earrings, and necklaces with a vintage look. at kay, the number-one jewelry store in america. for the star in your life. ♪ every kiss begins with kay military families face, we understand. at usaa, we know military life is different. we've been there. that's why every bit of financial advice we offer is geared specifically to current and former military members and their families. [ laughs ] dad! dad! [ applause ] ♪ [ male announcer ] life brings obstacles. usaa brings advice. call or visit us online. we're ready to help. a series of explosions in afghanistan this morning and kabul. a car bomb exploded outside a u.s. military contractor's compound.

police say at least one person was killed and dozens wounded inside the compound. earlier in eastern afghanistan a bomb or land mine killed ten young girls. police say it could have been a device buried in the ground, and the girls could have triggered when they walked through the woods. back home, manhunt for a man who killed two police officers. they were responds to a suspicious vehicle outside a grocery store when the gunman shot both officers in the head. police found the vehicle a few blocks from the store but the suspect wasn't inside. police say he's 22 years old, armed, and extremely dangerous. in washington, some apparent movement in negotiations to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff. white house congressional aides worked over the weekend to work on a proposal. john boehner offered a new proposal to the president on friday. it includes an increase on the tax rate of people making $1 million a year. in exchange he is asking for $1 trillion in spending cuts. in london the duchess of cambridge looked great in her first public appearance since being in the hospital for morning sickness.

the former kate middleton in her first try midwester presented some awards at a sports show. she was last seen on december 6 leaving the king edward hospital. coming up next, we'll have your weather forecast. and in sports a comeback by the new england patriots turns into a stunning collapse against the 49ers. [ female announcer ] beef, meet flavor boost. flavor boost, meet beef. it's swanson flavor boost. concentrated broth to add delicious flavor to your skillet dish in just one stir. mmm! [ female announcer ] cook, meet compliments. get recipes at flavorboost.com. challenge that with new olay facial hair removal duo. a two-step process that removes even coarse, stubborn facial hair gently.

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here's a look at the weather in some cities around the country. morning fog in new york, 52. sunny in miami, 82. partly cloudy in dallas, 64. cloud in l.a., 61 degrees. let's check your national forecast. it will be stormy across most of the country. in the south, severe thunderstorms and damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are possible from the eastern atlanta to the carolinas. two waves of pressure will role to the northeast bringing rain, snow, and some ice. thundershowers will hit parts of the midwest and major winter storm will handle the west. "cbs moneywatch" time now. a contract brings us a step closer to a new airline merger and a journey to the number one for the new hobbit movie. ashley morrison in new york. good morning to you. >> good morning to you. >> it boosted japan's market. tokyo's nikkei add 1% while hong congress's hang seng lost half a percent. wall street continues its weight for a fiscal cliff deal.

last week. united and continental airlines moved a step closer to finalizing their merger over the weekend. united's pilots union agreed to a new contract that will also cover pilots coming from continental. the deal includes raises and bigger retirement contributions and it allows united to expand its use of larger regional jets. diet pepsi is getting a huge makeover next month, but they've already made new changes. they've added a new sweetener. diet pepsi uses aspartame, which breaks down in the heat. they're mixing it with a new sweetener that helps it stay sweeter longer. the new mix hit the shelves in some areas earlier this month. and in the box office, a record-setting record for "the hobbit." the fantasy flick took in almost $85 million. that's better than the three previous "lord of the ring" films and gives "the hobbit" the biggest december opening ever. way back in second place with slightly more than $7 million,

"rise of the guardians," and coming in a close third, steven spielberg's "lincoln." a little something for everybody. everybody. ashley morrison, thank you so much. in sports, a great game in foxborough. the patriots make a stunning comeback against the 49ers. tom brady plunges into the end zone. next possession, brady hits aaron hernandez. for the 6-yard strike. danny woodhead scores standing up. game tied now. the game has momentum now, right? michael crabtree grabs the pass from colin kaepernick and goes 38 yards for the score. that is it for new england. san fran holds up the pats, 31-24. big drama in overtime. ben roethlisberger's pass gets picked off by brandon karr. he gets all the way down to the 1 yard line and that sets up dan bailey's 21-yard field goal. cowboys rally to beat the steelers, 27-24. dallas now in a three-way tie for first in the nfc with the giants and redskins. and he is off.

the vikings' adrian peterson goes up the middle for an 82-yard touchdown against the rams. the rams' danny amendola catches a pass and spikes the ball and look out. freak accident. this guy actually has to be taken off the field. vikings silence the rams, 36-22. more news coming up in two minutes on this monday morning. this is the "cbs morning news." this is the "cbs morning news." [ elizabeth ] i like to drink orange juice but the acidic levels in some foods can cause acid erosion. the enamel starts to wear down, and you can't grow your enamel back. my dentist recommended that i use pronamel, because it helps to strengthen the enamel. and i believe it's doing a good job.

president obama demands actn on gun legislation. what he says need to be done to protect r children. plus: as the nation heads bk to school. how local parents and school counselo plan to deal with the trage. and it's about to get chill cold and wet weather sweeps across the bay area. when wl we get a break?

join us for cbs 5 eyewitness news this morning... beginng at 4:30. good morning. it's monday, ,,,, here's a lax at the weather in some cities around the country. steady rain in washington, 59. partly cloudy in st. louis, 47. clouds and sun in denver, 56. periods of rain in seattle, 44 degrees.

some towns like camden, new jersey, and san francisco, california, are offering cash for guns in an attempt to get weapons off the street. lee cowan reports on how a mass shooting in 1989 led to a tough new law. >> reporter: when it happened at cleveland elementary, in stock on the, california, some 23 years ago, some thought a school shooting couldn't get any worse. a troubled man with an assault rifle killed five students and wounded 29 others. while it sadly wasn't the last or worst school shooting in the country, it did lead to california's ban on assault weapons, the first in the nation. it wasn't a perfect solution in the eyes of gun enthusiasts but at least the ban was an effort to do something to stem the violence. in the wake of connecticut, many california leaders wonder where that resolve is today. >> if not after this, then seriously just shame on all of us.

seriously, shame on the leadership of this country. >> gavin newsom is california's lieutenant governor, but his current anger stems from being a parent more than a politician. >> this has to be the moment where you say, stop, enough is enough, i don't want to read about this anymore, the second, the biggest, the worst. enough. >> reporter: enough indeed, but just how to stop it. critics say over the years even california's assault weapons ban lost a lot of its teeth, and besides, there have been other school shootings with other kinds of guns. the most recent, just last april at a small christian university in oakland. in a state that once led the nation on gun control, residents are once again scratching their heads. >> you can't just say you're going to ban guns because that genie is out of the bottle. >> i wish i had an answer. i know something has to change because this can't go on like this. >> reporter: what is going on are the rituals of grief. sadly those haven't changed much either.

lee cowan, cbs news, los angeles. and coming up after your local news on "cbs this morning," the latest on the investigation into the tragedy in newtown. i'm terrell brown. this is the "cbs morning news." newtown. i'm terrell brown. this is the "cbs morning news." it was like a red rash... very sore looking kinda blistery. like somebody had set a bag of hot charcoal on my neck. i was a firefighter for 24 years. but, i have never encountered such a burning sensation until i had the shingles. i remember it well. i was in the back yard doing yard work. i had this irritation going on in my lower neck. i changed shirts because i thought there was something in the collar of the shirt irritating my neck. and i couldn't figure out what was going on. i had no idea it came from chickenpox. i always thought shingles was associated with people...

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arrangements are being made for sandy hook elementary schools to attend classes this week. for parents of survivors, it will be a long time before things return to normal. peter van sant spoke with one family whose child narrowly escaped the carnage thanks to a heroic teacher. we got them on the bus for school. at about quarter to 10:00 we received a phone call from the superintendent's office that there had been an unconfirmed school shooting. >> die anand robert la cotta had

two children inside sandy hook elementary school. >> i said i'm going to go drive by their school and see what's happening. >> reporter: their 6-year-old son is in first grade. his teacher is vicki soto. phone for her dedication to her students, vicki had just turned 27. >> she was an absolutely amazing teacher. she was just so young and so full of life and just educating -- just got her so excited in teaching those children. it was what she lived to do. >> reporter: the la cottas' 7-year-old daughter is in the second grade. her classroom is just down the hall from her brother's. we were asked not to reveal the children's names. >> i saw my daughter's teacher and i asked where my daughter was and she said she didn't know because they were separated. >> reporter: then suddenly she spotted her daughter. >> she said, mommy, what's happening. i said i don't know.

i said just stay with your class, and i said, i'm going to wait here for our, you know, son to come out. and, you know, he didn't come. >> reporter: her son later told a remarkable story of the nightmare unfolding inside his classroom. when the shooting began, teacher vicki soto moved the children in classroom 10 against the wall, away from the door. that's when the la cottas' son came face to face with the gunman. >> they heard the noises. somehow the person was able to burst open the door and basically at that point that's when they witnessed his teacher be shot. they ran right by the shooter who was in the doorway. how they escaped, we still to this day really will never know exactly how they managed to get past him. >> reporter: the children got out, but the young teacher, who had apparently shielded her students, was left dead. >> she is truly a hero. and it's very likely because of

her that our son is with us today. >> peter van sant reporting this morning. coming up after your local news on "cbs this morning," a live report from connecticut. we'll have the latest on the investigation into the sandy hook elementary school shooting, plus more on the shooter adam lan da and a possible motive. details from john miller. and we'll go to washington for a look at the new push for gun control laws. that and more later on "cbs this morning." that is the news this morning. as always, appreciate you watching. i'm terrell brown in new york. take care, everybody. have a great day. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

>> your realtime captioner: linda marie macdonald

good morning. it's monday morning, i'm brian hackney. it's december 17. >> i'm elizabeth wenger. frank and michelle have the morning off. time now 4:29. >> and at such an early hour, never too early to check in with weather so here's mr. karnow. >> good morning, guys. it looks like like a wet start to the day if you are heading out on the roads. we have some showers showing up now. just how long will they stick around and are there more storms to come? we'll talk about that coming up. >> yes. slick surfaces on the roads so be careful. we have reports of a problem in napa, highway 121 closed between ashlar and hagan due to downed power lines. we'll have more details coming up. funerals begin today for victims of the mass shooting. investigators still have not determined adam lanza's motive for killing his mother and 27 others. they say lanza still had a lot of unused ammunition friday when he killed himself as police apch